Spool holder for sewing machines

ABSTRACT

A support means for sewing machine spools of the flanged and flangeless types and for use in machines wherein the thread is pulled axially off stationary spools.

United States Patent [50] Field of Search l 242/l29.5-

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 589,053 8/1897 Webster .7242/l29.7 X 1,558,561 10/1925 Mossberg 242/129.7 1,933,502 10/1933Chason .7 242/l29.71 3,381,641 5/1968 Bialy et a1. 112/218 PrimaryExaminerLeonard D. Christian Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller and MosherABSTRACT: A support means for sewing machine spools of the flanged andflangeless types and for use in machines wherein the thread is pulledaxially off stationary spools.

SPOOL HOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES This invention relates to pin supportsin sewing machines for flanged and nonflanged type spools which arefixed or nonrotatable relative to said supports.

In lockstitch-type sewing machines for home use, thread is unwound fromsuch spools either as part of and during the sewing operation or inorder to rewind thread onto the lower thread bobbin which normallyoccurs while the machine sewing members are at rest. In either instancethe thread is unwound from spools in either of two fashions.

According to one fashion, the spools, whether flanged or not, arerotatably supported on generally vertical pins and the thread is pulledthereoff tangentially to the spool diameter, in a directionperpendicular to the spool axis. According to a second fashion, thespools of either type are fixedly (nonrotatably) mounted on the pins sothat the thread is pulled off the spools in a direction generallyparallel to the spool axis, the threadline leading from the spoolrevolving about the spool axis. This second fashion of thread unwindingbeing well known for the advantage of providing greater regularity of Ithread unwinding, especially at high sewing, and consequently unwinding,speeds.

Known spools of either the flanged or nonflanged types comprise alongitudinally (axially) extending bore which, however, is different asbetween the respective type spools. Further, the flanged type spoolscomprise respective opposite end flange surfaces facing the woundthread, said surfaces being roughened and sometimes includingappropriate notches or slits for anchoring the thread loose end therein.Unwinding of thread in an axial direction from such flanged type spools,however, often results in snagging of the thread on one of said flangesurfaces and consequent thread breakage.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved pin supports in asewing machine for fixedly holding either flanged or nonflanged typespools whereby the thread must be pulled in an axial direction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide identical pinsupports adapted to receive either type of spool.

It is a general object of this invention to realize the aforementionedtypes of pin supports through constructional features which are simpleand not costly and provide reliability in operation.

Other objects are those which are inherent in this disclosure.

The foregoing objects are generally realized through pin supports whoselower end portions constitute a retaining or gripping means for thenonflanged type spools or a supporting means for the flanged typespools, and said objects are further realized through the provision of asimple member adapted to clamp the flanged type spool against said pinsupport lower end portion while at the same time serving to prevent thespool thread from snagging with the top flange of the spool. Morespecifically, the pin supports are generally vertical and are slightlyconical or tapering towards their upper end while at their lower endportion they include a retaining member adapted to either elastically beforce fitted into the bore of the nonflanged type spools or to supportupon an upper radial surface thereof the lower flange of a flange typespool. Further, a holed cap is provided which is slidable along the pinto bear against the top flange of a flange type spool while pressing itdownwardly against the upper radial face of said retaining member.

A specific preferred embodiment of the invention will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view showing the disposition of pin supports,according to this invention, relative to the remainder ofa sewingmachine;

FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively are enlarged views of the pin supportaccording to this invention, and having a flanged type and nonflangedtype spool, respectively, mounted thereon.

. Referring to FIG. 1, 10 denotes a home type sewing machine whichcomprises a lower horizontal base 11, a standard 12 upstanding from oneend of said base, an arm 13 extending from said standard generallyparallel to said base, and a support 14 for mounting a not shown drivemotor which through known means will be drivingly connected with thesewing parts located in the arm 13. A handwheel l5 and a knob 16 (forselecting sewing pattern cams) are mounted along the outer side ofstandard 12. A bobbin winder pin 17 projects sidewise from motor support14 while spool pin supports 18 are fastened to the upper side of saidmotor support and extend generally vertically therefrom.

An an example of operating procedure, the flanged spool 19 and thenonflanged spool 20 may both be simultaneously mounted on the respectivepin supports 18 for double needle sewing. The thread 21 passes from thespool 19 to thread guide 23 which is supported on bar 25 which in turnis secured by screws 26 to standard 12, and from the guide the thread isdirected to a bobbin winder in the bobbin rewinding operation. Thread22, on the other hand, is directed from spool 20 to thread guide 24 alsosupported on bar 25, and then to the not shown sewing needle.

According to the invention, the pin supports 18 for the flangedand forthe nonflanged type spools are identical and may be of plastic materialin the form of generally vertical pins 27 which are slightly taperedtowards the top end thereof and include a sleeve member retaining means28 adjacent the lower end thereof.

The retaining means 28 includes a solid shoulder 36 forming a radialprotrusion relative to pin 27 upon which may rest the lower flange of aflange type spool 19. The invention includes a disc member. 32, whichcan be of plastic or other resiliently yieldable material and includes acentral hole and hub 35 which fit around pin 27, said hub including aplurality of grooves 37. The hole in hub 35 is slightly tapered in thesame direction as the taper of pin 27 and is of a slightly smallerdiameter than that of said pin whereby the pin 27 is resiliently grippedand held by said cap 32. In fact, after the spool 19 is placed on pin 27with the lower end resting upon the annular rim 36, the cap member 32 ispressed downwardly along the pin until it abuts against the spool upperend whereupon the frictional gripping fit of hub 35 around pin 27 issuch as to provide a fixed clamping effect of the spool between the capmember 32 and the rim 36.

The retaining means 28 includes a tubular element 29 also of aresiliently yieldable material and also includes longitudinal grooves 31to render it circumferentially elastically compressible. The tubularelement 29 is fixed to the rim 36, the element 29 facing downward fromsaid rim. The element 29 includes an external circumferential crown 30of slightly enlarged diameter, said crown being circumferentiallyinterrupted by the grooves 31.

The flangeless type spool 20 conventionally comprises a cardboard tube34 and this may easily be pressed downwardly along the extent of pin 27with the tube pressing radially inwardly against crown 30. Since thediameter of crown 30 is slightly larger than the inside diameter of thespool tube 34, there occurs a slight elastic deformation as between tubeand crown so that the tube is securely held against rotation and otherunwanted displacement by such engagement with the crown 30.

It is seen, therefore, that excepting for the inclusion of the capmember 32, the support means are identical for both types of spools,flanged and flangeless. In other words, either type of spool may befitted onto either of the pin supports, the only difference being thatin the case of a flanged spool, the cap member 32 would have to beadded. Otherwise, the pins 27 and the retaining means 28 are identicalfor both types of spools.

Many of the details given herein relating to a preferred embodiment areof course only illustrative and not restrictive of the scope ofapplicability of the inventive concept which underlies the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A spool support means for sewing machine spools of either the flangedor flangeless types, including an elongate pin and a retaining meansthereon, including an axially fixed means for abutting against the endof a flange type spool and a radially elastically deformable means forpressing radially outwardly against the inner walls of a flangelessspool tube, further including an axial clamp member positionable alongsaid pin at a distance from said retaining means corresponding to thelength of a flange type spool and adapted to axially clamp such a spoolaxially against said retaining means, said clamp member being axiallyslidable along said pin and being positionable therealong in frictionalgripping engagement therewith, said clamp member comprising a holetherethrough of a diameter smaller than that of said pin, said clampmember being elastically defonnable around said hole, said pin extendingthrough said hole with said member being elastically deformed thereby,furthermore said pin and said hole being correspondingly tapered.

2. A spool support means for sewing machine spools of either the flangedor flangeless types, including an elongate pin and a retaining meansthereon, including an axially fixed means for abutting against the endof a flange type spool and a radially elastically deformable means forpressing radially outwardly against the inner walls of a flangelessspool tube, further including an axial clamp member positionable alongsaid pin at a distance from said retaining means corresponding to thelength of a flange type spool and adapted to axially clamp such a spoolaxially against said retaining means, and said retaining meanscomprising a sleeve member axially fixed on said pin and having one endthereof which forms a radial shoulder of a diameter larger than that ofthe bore extending through a conventional flange type spool, acircumferential crown on said sleeve member of a diameter larger thanthat of said shoulder and larger than the inner diameter of the tube ofa conventional flangeless type spool, said crown being radiallyresiliently deformable so as to permit such a tube to be axially pressedthereon.

3. A spool support means for sewing machine spools of either the flangedor flangeless types, including an elongate pin and a retaining meansthereon, including an axially fixed means for abutting against the endof a flange type spool and a radially elastically deformable means forpressing radially outwardly against the inner walls of a flangelessspool tube, further including an axial clamp member positionable alongsaid pin at a distance from said retaining means corresponding to thelength of a flange type spool and adapted to axially clamp such a spoolaxially against said retaining means, said clamp member being axiallyslidable along said pin and being positionable therealong in frictionalgripping engagement therewith, said clamp member further comprising ahole therethrough of a diameter smaller than that of said pin, saidclamp member being elastically deformable around said hole, said pinextending through said hole with said member being elastically deformedthereby, and furthermore, said clamp member being in the form of a dischaving a central hole and a hub surrounding same, at least onelongitudinal slot in said hub to render same radially deformable, saidhub being of elastically deformable material, said disc having adiameter substantially greater than that of the flanges on aconventional flange type spool.

4. The spool support means of claim 2, said sleeve member being of aresiliently deformable material and including at least onelongitudinally extending slot to permit radial deformation of saidsleeve member.

5. The spool support means of claim 1, in combination with a sewingmachine which includes a thread guide located whereby thread coming froma spool supported on said pin must extend substantially along the samedirection as the pin axis.

6. The spool support means of claim 1, said clamp member having a radialextent relative to said pin substantially greater than that of theflange of a conventional flange t pe spool.

7. The spool support means of claim 5, inclu ing a plurality of saidpins and said retaining means all identical to each other.

1. A spool support means for sewing machine spools of either the flanged or flangeless types, including an elongate pin and a retaining means thereon, including an axially fixed means for abutting against the end of a flange type spool and a radially elastically deformable means for pressing radially outwardly against the inner walls of a flangeless spool tube, further including an axial clamp member positionable along said pin at a distance from said retaining means corresponding to the length of a flange type spool and adapted to axially clamp such a spool axially against said retaining means, said clamp member being axially slidable along said pin and being positionable therealong in frictional gripping engagement therewith, said clamp member comprising a hole therethrough of a diameter smaller than that of said pin, said clamp member being elastically deformable around said hole, said pin extending through said hole with said member being elastically deformed thereby, furthermore said pin and said hole being correspondingly tapered.
 2. A spool support means for sewing machine spools of either the flanged or flangeless types, including an elongate pin and a retaining means thereon, including an axially fixed means for abutting against the end of a flange type spool and a radially elastically deformable means for pressing radially outwardly against the inner walls of a flangeless spool tube, further including an axial clamp member positionable along said pin at a distance from said retaining means corresponding to the length of a flange type spool and adapted to axially clamp such a spool axially against said retaining means, and said retaining means comprising a sleeve member axially fixed on said pin and having one end thereof which forms a radial shoulder of a diameter larger than that of the bore extending through a conventional flange type spool, a circumferential crown on said sleeve member of a diameter larger than that of said shoulder and larger than the inner diameter of the tube of a conventional flangeless type spool, said crown being radially resiliently deformable so as to permit such a tube to be axially pressed thereon.
 3. A spool support means for sewing machine spools of either the flanged or flangeless types, including an elongate pin and a retaining means thereon, including an axially fixed means for abutting against the end of a flange type spool and a radially elastically deformable means for pressing radially outwardly against the inner walls of a flangeless spool tube, further including an axial clamp member positionable along said pin at a distance from said retaining means corresponding to the length of a flange type spool and adapted to axially clamp such a spool axially against said retaining means, said clamp member being axially slidable along said pin and being positionable therealong in frictional gripping engagement therewith, said clamp member further comprising a hole therethrough of a diameter smaller than that of said pin, said clamp member being elastically deformable around said hole, said pin extending through said hole with said member being elastically deformed thereby, and furthermore, said clamp member being in the form of a disc having a central hole and a hub surrounding same, at Least one longitudinal slot in said hub to render same radially deformable, said hub being of elastically deformable material, said disc having a diameter substantially greater than that of the flanges on a conventional flange type spool.
 4. The spool support means of claim 2, said sleeve member being of a resiliently deformable material and including at least one longitudinally extending slot to permit radial deformation of said sleeve member.
 5. The spool support means of claim 1, in combination with a sewing machine which includes a thread guide located whereby thread coming from a spool supported on said pin must extend substantially along the same direction as the pin axis.
 6. The spool support means of claim 1, said clamp member having a radial extent relative to said pin substantially greater than that of the flange of a conventional flange type spool.
 7. The spool support means of claim 5, including a plurality of said pins and said retaining means all identical to each other. 